


Decking the Hallways

by magician



Category: The Sentinel
Genre: Ficlet, Gen, Holidays, The Sentinel Secret Santa
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-01-06
Updated: 2018-01-06
Packaged: 2019-02-27 12:18:40
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 506
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13248087
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/magician/pseuds/magician
Summary: The Cascade PD folks help Habitat for Humanity





	Decking the Hallways

**Author's Note:**

> Written for the 2017 TS Secret Santa Drabble Days for the prompt: deck. https://ts-secret-santa.livejournal.com/

Blair exited a neat suburban house, going to a truck to pick up cans of paint.  
  
"Sandburg," Jim called from the roof. "Can you send up some more nails?"  
  
It was the Sunday after Thanksgiving, but none of the Major Crime Unit detectives were relaxing. If fact, just about all of Cascade PD's personnel were hard at work. Instead of interviewing witnesses, writing tickets or arresting perps, they were painting walls, nailing roof shingles and landscaping. This was a big Habitat for Humanity project weekend. Everyone knew that their hard work would help ten families move into new homes in time for the holidays.  
  
"Just a minute," Blair replied. He picked up the paint and a bucket of nails and put them near the house entrance. Then he detoured to a pile of coolers. He selected a variety of sandwiches and drinks, added them to the nail bucket, then hooked them to a rope pulley and yanked.  
  
Jim smiled his thanks and shared the food with his fellow roofers. None of them wanted to stop for lunch, so they all munched while continuing to lay shingles.  
  
Blair delivered the paint to the bedrooms. Ted Martin, the new owner, opened a can and poured it into the paint roller pan. "Thanks," he said. "We'll be done here in an hour, then we can start laying the carpeting." Ted and his wife, Emma, had been working non-stop for three weeks, putting in their sweat equity. "The kids are looking forward to decorating for Christmas, although I think we'll probably have to get by with popcorn garlands and soap stencils on the windows." He grinned at Blair. "This is going to be so great. We've been homeless for the last six months."  
  
As they were cleaning up at the end of the day, Blair pulled Simon Banks aside, relaying Ted's comments. "Is there any way to spring for some decorations for the families?"  
  
"Let me talk with the other captains. Between us, I think we could fund it. Can you find out whether they all celebrate Christmas? We wouldn't want to offend anyone."  
  
"I should have thought of that. Thanks, Simon, I'll find out."  
  
By the following week, the captains found some funds and came up with a plan. They would buy a Christmas tree and decorations for the nine families who celebrated Christmas. They'd also buy some garlands, so they could "deck the halls" in style. After learning the Goldberger family had lost all their possessions in a fire, Simon asked Blair to shop for suitable items. He bought a menorah, a dreidel, Hanukkah party decorations, a pile of chocolate gelt and a basket of sufganiyot, which the Robbery Unit presented to them in time for the first night of Hanukkah.  
  
For the other families, each PD unit brought the trees and decorations. Major Crime adopted the Martins. Ted tuned the radio to a holiday music station. As Perry Como sang "Fa-la-la-la-la, la-la-la-la", they trimmed the tree, hung the garlands, and sponged soap stencils on their brand-new windows.


End file.
